Andy Burnham says he will sit out new vote on legalising assisted dying to avoid influencing MPs
Andy Burnham says he will not take part in the forthcoming Commons vote on legalising assisted dying, arguing that, as Prime Minister, he should not influence MPs’ personal decisions. The move preserves the Bill as a free vote and matters because it returns Parliament to a divisive issue involving end-of-life choice, safeguards and care provision.
The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill is scheduled to return on 11 September, proposing assisted deaths for terminally ill adults in England and Wales with six months or less to live, subject to approval by two doctors and an expert panel. It previously passed two Commons votes, but its majority narrowed from 55 to 23; Burnham has supported legalisation in the past while also saying palliative and social care funding should be improved first.
- Burnham will not influence MPs’ assisted dying vote.
- The Bill returns to the Commons on 11 September.
- Its previous Commons majority narrowed significantly.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters argue that allowing terminally ill adults, subject to rigorous medical and independent-panel scrutiny, to choose an assisted death respects autonomy and can prevent avoidable suffering at the end of life. They contend that a free vote is especially appropriate for a matter of conscience, and that a Prime Minister declining to direct colleagues helps MPs weigh complex ethical and practical concerns independently while maintaining strong safeguards and improving palliative care.
The case against
Opponents argue that legalising assisted dying could expose people who are frail, disabled, isolated or worried about being a burden to subtle pressure, even where formal safeguards exist. They maintain that the priority should be reliably available, well-funded palliative and social care, so that no one sees an assisted death as the only dignified or affordable option; a free vote allows MPs to scrutinise whether the proposed six-month prognosis and approval process can genuinely protect vulnerable people.
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